Display resolution after install

[johngx]

I tried Kubuntu 24.10 on a USB it behaves as expected, but when installed the display resolution is 1024x768 and Kubuntu reports there are no drivers. What to do?

[Snowhog]

You need to provide us with hardware specifics, please. Specifically, what graphics card/chip is in your PC?

[johngx]

Thank you Snowhog

Does this answer your question:

VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 06)
PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev d4)

If running Kubuntu 24.10 in demo mode on the usb displays at 1920 x 1080 resolution. After installation the hardware has not changed, is it not reasonable to assume that the system when installed would also perform the same?

[oldgeek]

For what it's worth, I had the same problem when I upgraded from 24.04 to 24.10. The problem apparently was the Nvidia driver 470, which was no longer supplied with Kubuntu and so I was left with a resolution of 1024 X 768, using the native Linux driver for X11 instead of Wayland. My solution--go back to 24.04 and wait until I get a new driver.

[johngx]

Maybe the details I submitted before were incomplete:

$ sudo lshw -c video
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
logical name: /dev/fb0
version: 06
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom fb
configuration: depth=32 driver=i915 latency=0 resolution=1920,1080
resources: irq:37 memory:f7800000-f7bfffff memory:e0000000-efffffff ioport:f000(size=64) memory:c0000-dffff

The question remains, why does the pre install usb test enable full resolution display compared with installed to SSD has only 1024x768 resolution??

[claydoh]

is it not reasonable to assume that the system when installed would also perform the same?

Yes, but there are reasons, probably.
The live demo is running a somewhat lower level (less performant) video subsystem.
Dodgy EDID reporting from the screen is a possibility
kernel/mesa bugs.

Being an older to almost ancient on-board video card, this may be a factor.
This specific class of hardware does seem to be susceptible to this sort of thing, in recent years.

Install inxi, and post the output of inxi -G so we can get a baseline,

If logging in to a Wayland session (the defualt in Plasma 6) you could try an old fashioned X11 one, or vice-versa, though I doubt this is a likely cause here.

[johngx]

Logging into Kubuntu 24.10

$ inxi -G
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics
driver: N/A
Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.13 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.2
compositor: kwin_wayland driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa
gpu: N/A resolution: 819x614
API: EGL v: 1.5 drivers: swrast platforms: wayland,x11,surfaceless,device
API: OpenGL v: 4.5 vendor: mesa v: 24.2.3-1ubuntu1 renderer: llvmpipe
(LLVM 19.1.0 256 bits)
API: Vulkan v: 1.3.290 drivers: N/A surfaces: xcb,xlib,wayland

Logging in to Kubuntu 24.04

$ inxi -G
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics
driver: i915 v: kernel
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6 driver: X:
loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: crocus gpu: i915
resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz
API: EGL v: 1.5 drivers: crocus,swrast platforms: x11,surfaceless,device
API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 24.0.9-0ubuntu0.3
renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)
API: Vulkan v: 1.3.275 drivers: N/A surfaces: xcb,xlib

[claydoh]

driver: N/A

renderer: llvmpipe

This is the real issue: you aren't loading the i915 driver for some reason, which would explain the resolution as well as using software rendering

so.... try logging in with x11 instead of Wayland at your login screen, though I highly doubt this will fix anything, at least to eliminate the simple stuff.


Any Grub or other customization done?

Some things to check for and get information on:

sudo modprobe i915

Post any errors

Check if there is the file at /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf, and see if it lists i915


This GPU may be old enough that it needs modesetting turned on (or off) but not sure if that means a different package, or just a Grub edit. it is not clear.

[johngx]

Thank you for your help claydoh
I don't know how to switch between Wayland and x11

$ sudo modprobe i915
[sudo] password for john:
modprobe: FATAL: Module i915 not found in directory /lib/modules/6.8.0-51-generic

i915 is not blacklisted anywhere

Re Grub: I have several OS installed, using Grub Customizer to select. They all open as they should, but I am having trouble starting Kubuntu 24.10
This works for Kubuntu 24.04

insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,gpt7'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt7 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt7 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt7 fb20f2da-3fe2-4dfb-b684-780c1b871ccd
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root fb20f2da-3fe2-4dfb-b684-780c1b871ccd
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.0-51-generic root=UUID=fb20f2da-3fe2-4dfb-b684-780c1b871ccd ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
initrd /boot/initrd.img-6.8.0-51-generic

This what I have for Kubuntu 24.10

insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9d381534-90b9-4a59-b226-21780decda48
linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/nvme0n1p3
initrd /boot/initrd.img

It complains, asking me to hit any key, and then boots

[claydoh]

complains

About what??

I don't know how to switch between Wayland and x11

You select the option at your login screen.



EDIT:

Butt, that definitely will not help here at all:

modprobe: FATAL: Module i915 not found in directory /lib/modules/6.8.0-51-generic

Are you sure you are booting to 24.10? That error should be 6.11.something , to match the kernel version in 24.10 (6.11.0) This error would be appropriate for the 24.04 kernel - 6.8.0.

Something is quite amiss. Amess?

Can we guess that you have more than one *buntu installed, sharing the same EFI parittion?

[johngx]

I have made some progress.
I have four drives, in order: nvme0n1p, sda, sdb. sdc
The Kubuntu 24.10 is installed on nvme0n1p3, and that's where the problems with display started
I tried installing Kubuntu 24.10 on sda4, and everything works as it should, 1920x1080 resolution, using i915 driver.
This indicates a Grub problem.
This is the Grub Customizer entry for sda4:

insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,gpt4'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt4 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt4 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt4 46fd6a8f-47b2-48d2-8767-b014e41be2d7
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 46fd6a8f-47b2-48d2-8767-b014e41be2d7
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4
initrd /boot/initrd.img

Note sda4 is recorded as 'hd0,gpt4'
The OS in question is installed on nvme0n1p3. How should the nvme0n1p3 partition be identified?

[claydoh]

The Kubuntu 24.10 is installed on nvme0n1p3, and that's where the problems with display started

This is the Grub Customizer entry for sda4:

What about the one for your 24.10 install?

The issue is the efi partition used, not the root. /boot/efi
Your grub setup seems to be pointing the 24.10 install to the kernel for the 24.04 install


Personally I think Grub Customizer sucks for more than the simplest of setups.
Much of that is because multi-booting different *buntu installs is problematic especially if they share EFI partitions. They overwrite each other unless each one uses a different EFI partition (preferably on a different drive)
Then Grub Customizer does its own things.

AAAND
each OS install has its own boot loader, so for each Linux install there would be separate and unique grubs/grub menus.
Whichever OS is set as the primary boot option in your BIOS is the grub you see, which may not be the grub you are actually editing.
Updating grub in 24.10 for example does not affect the grub for 24.04 at all. So editing 24.10 does nothing if you use 24.04's grub menu to select your OS.

You might try using your computer's bootup hot key (different for each brand of computer) to select a different OS (or change the boot option in your BIOS) and see if that gets you a properly working 24.10. From there, you can compare the grub configuration for that and use it to fix the broken one. Or (like my lazy self would do) just use the working grub instead.

[jlittle]

Note sda4 is recorded as 'hd0,gpt4'...

That setting is a fallback, in case the UUID (46fd6a8f-47b2-48d2-8767-b014e41be2d7) is not found. So what counts is, which partition has that UUID?
Running sudo blkid from any install or from the live USB will show the UUIDs.

How should the nvme0n1p3 partition be identified?

By UUID or label. To use labels you have to apply unique labels to the partitions, but IMO they're far preferable for humans to use to UUIDs. For example, here's grub stanza to boot the latest kernel on a partition labelled "delta':

menuentry "Kubuntu from delta" {
    search --label --set=root delta
    linux /boot/vmlinuz root=LABEL=delta
    initrd /boot/initrd.img
}

Drop that in /boot/grub/custom.cfg and a standard grub.cfg will find it. It's sufficiently simple that one can type it (the three lines within the braces) at the grub rescue prompt if needed.

BTW, (hd0, gpt4) is grub-speak for /dev/sda4, assuming /dev/sda has a GPT (GUUID Partion Table). "sda" is "hd0" ("sdb" would be hd1 and so on), and "4" is "gpt4". But a system's device enumeration can change from boot to boot, so boot entries shouldn't rely on them; so generated grub entries search for the UUID.

Having several installs each with their own boot loader can cause a lot of trouble; IME a broken boot happens sooner or later. I suggest designating one install as the controller of the boot, and uninstalling grub from the others. Or better, install without a boot loader. Better still, I install a standalone grub, on its own small partition or btrfs subvolume, maintain a vastly simpler grub.cfg myself, and work to stop any Linux installs messing with the boot.

[johngx]

Thank you claydoh

Grub Customizer may suck, but it does offer a simple means to arrange multiple boot options
Referring to EFI partitions, I have not seen any configs that refer to boot choices

and thank you jlittle

I understand the "hd0,gpt4" system, it just does not appear to have a nvme version other than /dev/nvme**** that Grub Customizer recognises

The partition has a label, but I'm not sure how to apply that to the Grub Customizer configuration; and I could not find a /boot/grub/custom.cfg to drop it into.

At this stage it seem the only solution is to keep operating systems on standard ssd and leave the nvme for only data.

[claydoh]

Referring to EFI partitions, I have not seen any configs that refer to boot choices

You don't have boot options in your BIOS? This is what i am referring to.

Grub Customizer may suck, but it does offer a simple means to arrange multiple boot options

But somehow, you are booting 24.10 using 24.04's kernel, which is breaking your video drivers

Either the customization is borked, or you have multiple Kubuntu installs sharing the same EFI partition and one has overwritten the other -- this is a known issue with dual booting the same distro, even though they are different releases.

Using the bios boot tools (bootup hot key or a change in the BIOS settings) to attempt to boot to a specific OS directly instead of using a different OS' grub menu might help get you around this.